Disney100 branded 'shambles' as furious guests 'crammed inside like sardines'

20 October 2023 , 13:46

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Visitors had to endure waiting in huge queues in the cold (Image: Credit: Pen News)

Visitors have branded a Disney expo billed as a "magnificent" celebration of the company's 100th year a "total shambles" because of long queues, packed halls and poor exhibits.

Many guests said they were "crammed in like sardines" after having to wait more than an hour in the cold to access the Disney100 exhibition at ExCel London, with visitors in prams or wheelchairs struggling to see exhibits.

And to add to the misery, the heat in the packed galleries left a number of visitors feeling faint. Meanwhile, the exhibits were said to be "sparse and small", with several interactive displays malfunctioning just days after the doors opened on the world-famous brand's big event.

Guests were crammed in with many complaining they could not see the exhibits properly (Credit: Pen News)

Somewhat shockingly for such a big event, there were no toilets inside, leaving one mum no choice but to change her babies' nappies in a crowded room. Rebecca, a mum-of-two from Hertfordshire, paid more than £70 to visit with her husband and young children.

She said: "It was a total shambles. We waited over an hour in the cold with an impatient two-year-old, and a nine-month-old who has just recovered from a chest infection. The website FAQ specifically said 'there will be no queueing outside' but the line was enormous. And no wonder – once you're inside, all the guests are photographed in front of a green screen, with the pictures costing extra, before you queue again for an introductory film.

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"We'd been waiting so long, we had to change the boys' nappies, but there were no toilets inside, so we either had to leave and queue again or change them in the packed galleries. It was a nightmare getting a pram round these crowded rooms and there was very little for young children to interact with – our toddler was upset all the way home."

Another guest had to endure a 90-minute wait outside then another 25 minutes inside before reaching the exhibition with her autistic friend Jon. And once they did get in they found the venue overcrowded and overheated. Helen, 58, a photographer from Kent, paid £60 to visit and said: "The heat hit us and it was so packed we couldn't see anything – we were crammed in like sardines.

"We could barely move and Jon started to panic and wanted to get out. It felt so claustrophobic. People around us were heard complaining about the heat and feeling unwell.

"It was impossible to see and enjoy the exhibition, I wanted to see it from the artwork point of view and costumes. The exhibition felt sparse and small. There was no magic at all, it was disappointing, and badly managed."

One visitor, Vikki Neighbour, a carer from London who paid £93 to visit with her husband and son, and who queued for 80 minutes outside the venue, was left fuming and thought the experience was a rip-off.

Many guests found the exhibits unimpressive (Credit: Pen News)

The exhibition was branded 'a con' by some guests (Credit: Pen News)

She said: "I feel angry, conned and disappointed. It starts with a film in a holding room. My husband is a wheelchair user and could see nothing of the film. The start of the exhibition was ram-packed; you could barely see anything. I admit I shoved my way through as I wanted to see the early drawings.

"My husband saw nothing. My eldest son is autistic and was panicking as he couldn't move for the crowd. My husband kept having people press against his injured legs causing severe pain. People were saying they felt faint."

Laura, a 33-year-old librarian from Oxford, forked out almost £94 to attend with her mum and dad and they too endured an 80-minute wait outside. She said: "The exhibition was packed and you had to wait a while to look at items.

"It was the opening weekend and already some of the interactive machines were broken. We were advised that there are no toilet facilities inside, which is poor planning considering that – with the wait time – we spent about three hours there. I felt like the exhibition items got sparser as you went through."

Despite having VIP tickets allowing her to skip the queue, Shaunna Mulford, 32, regretted her five-hour drive from Manchester for her visit, as there was no escaping the crowds. "It was far too crowded," she said. "You could not see the exhibits without pushing through crowds.

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"It was very hot inside, probably due to the numbers and the lights. My mum felt faint within the first couple of rooms. We drove from Manchester and it didn't feel worth it in the end."

A number of visitors thought the event was just "money grabbing". Mrs Neighbour, 47, said she spent nearly £100 in the exhibition gift shop, but was told the only bags available to carry her purchases were tote bags costing £18 each.

Helen said: "It felt like it wasn't a celebration of the Disney name and the work, but a money grab." And a number of guests who came on Monday, the actual centenary, said they were also led to expect "surprises" for the big day.

But some said they saw no unexpected extras, while others reported only a balloon artist or a barbershop quartet who serenaded fans in the outside queue. Rebecca said: "A balloon man might do the job at a village fete, but it's a little underwhelming for Disney."

Some guests, however, were big fans. Jo Routh, a civil servant from Essex, said: "We loved it. We waited 45 to 50 minutes. The exhibit was fascinating with original memorabilia and some dating back to the 1920s. It is not a theme park, but fascinating if you are interested in 20th-century social history."

At time of writing, a Facebook page covering both the London exhibition and its yet-to-open US counterpart, had an average review score of just over three out of five. Disney, the ticket vendor Fever, Semmel Exhibitions, and FKP Scorpio Entertainment were contacted for comment.

Disney, the ticket vendor Fever, Semmel Exhibitions, and FKP Scorpio Entertainment were contacted for comment.

Michael Havis